Testimonials

"A very special thanks. I don't know what I would have done without you. You were always there when I needed you. You helped to make the worst experience of my life so much easier to live with.

- Nancy F.

“Richard Spencer was there for us from the day after my accident, representing me and my wife, and there throughout the whole lawsuit until it was settled.

- Felix D.

A little over year ago I found myself in need of legal counsel. It's stressful enough when you are in an accident that stops your life as you know it.

- Marie K.

My son and I were involved in a major car accident and my son was seriously injured. I met Richard and he got my son the maximum we could get.

- Eran F.

I've used Mr. Spencer's services a couple of times now and could not be happier with the level of service, his professionalism, and the manner.

- Gabriel S.

Richard is my GO TO ATTORNEY, I know he will take care of my legalities and I trust Richard in every aspect of handling my law case.

- Sandra B.

The scary convenience of distracted driving

On behalf of Spencer & Associates posted in blog on Monday, July 31, 2017.

No texting while driving. It seems simple, right?

It’s no secret that texting and driving is an alarming issue and has become a leading cause of car accidents. Most states, including California, have specific laws banning you from texting while operating a vehicle. Unfortunately, making it illegal hasn’t stopped the masses from partaking in the activity. Quite the opposite actually, surveys show that American drivers confess that they still text and drive even though they know it’s illegal.

Maybe you only text when traffic is slow or when you’re stopped at a stoplight. No matter how careful you think you’re being, the fact remains that anytime you take your eyes off the road, even for a split-second, you’re putting yourself and others at serious risk. From 2014 to 2015, the number of road fatalities had risen by 8 percent, which is the largest year-over-year increase in 50 years.

Will anything halt this growing trend?

Over the last seven years, most states in the U.S. have passed laws restricting the use of cellphones while driving. Despite law enforcements best efforts, the problem continues to grow as drivers become increasingly dependent on their cellphones.

The state of New York is considering a different approach for cracking down texting and driving. Currently making its way through legislation is a bill that would require drivers involved in a car accident to have their cellphones scanned by authorities for evidence of recent use.

How can you scan a cellphone?

Last week, the governor of New York announced plans to study the effectiveness of 'textalyzer' technology as well as addressing concerns about privacy and civil liberty infringement.

Modeled after the breathalyzer, which determines a driver’s blood alcohol level, the ‘textalyzer’ is a device that would plug into your cellphone and analyzes its recent activity. This device would allow law enforcement to establish whether or not you were illegally using your phone at the time of the accident.

Would this be an invasion of privacy?

Most people who oppose this bill do so because they believe the ‘textalyzer’ would be an invasion of privacy. The device manufacturer and supporters of this bill state that the ‘textalyzer’ would not allow the police to download any content from your phone; they cannot access your email, read your text messages, see your photos, etc. It is merely a way for them to determine if a driver was actively engaged on their phone when the accident took place.

Critics of this technology are still not convinced. As of now, the only way to obtain information from a driver’s cellphone is by issuing a warrant. They believe the simple act forcing someone to hand their phone over to authorities without so much as a warrant is an invasion of civil liberties.

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Verdicts & Settlements

Duenas v. State of California : Dangerous roadway accident in Inyo County: this case involved a single vehicle that rolled over in a construction zone. The case went before a jury and ultimately resolved for $10,000,000.

Rodriguez v. Mitchell : Automobile accident on Interstate 5 in Newhall: this case involved a rear-end accident on Interstate 5. The case settled for $1,436,950, which represented all the insurance coverage that was available.